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GHSA-77P3-MMMP-FJJ2

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-05-06 12:30 – Updated: 2026-05-12 21:31

Details

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

io_uring/zcrx: fix user_ref race between scrub and refill paths

The io_zcrx_put_niov_uref() function uses a non-atomic check-then-decrement pattern (atomic_read followed by separate atomic_dec) to manipulate user_refs. This is serialized against other callers by rq_lock, but io_zcrx_scrub() modifies the same counter with atomic_xchg() WITHOUT holding rq_lock.

On SMP systems, the following race exists:

CPU0 (refill, holds rq_lock) CPU1 (scrub, no rq_lock) put_niov_uref: atomic_read(uref) - 1 // window opens atomic_xchg(uref, 0) - 1 return_niov_freelist(niov) [PUSH #1] // window closes atomic_dec(uref) - wraps to -1 returns true return_niov(niov) return_niov_freelist(niov) [PUSH #2: DOUBLE-FREE]

The same niov is pushed to the freelist twice, causing free_count to exceed nr_iovs. Subsequent freelist pushes then perform an out-of-bounds write (a u32 value) past the kvmalloc'd freelist array into the adjacent slab object.

Fix this by replacing the non-atomic read-then-dec in io_zcrx_put_niov_uref() with an atomic_try_cmpxchg loop that atomically tests and decrements user_refs. This makes the operation safe against concurrent atomic_xchg from scrub without requiring scrub to acquire rq_lock.

[pavel: removed a warning and a comment]

Severity ?

4.7 (Medium)


                  
                    CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-43121"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-362"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-05-06T12:16:28Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nio_uring/zcrx: fix user_ref race between scrub and refill paths\n\nThe io_zcrx_put_niov_uref() function uses a non-atomic\ncheck-then-decrement pattern (atomic_read followed by separate\natomic_dec) to manipulate user_refs. This is serialized against other\ncallers by rq_lock, but io_zcrx_scrub() modifies the same counter with\natomic_xchg() WITHOUT holding rq_lock.\n\nOn SMP systems, the following race exists:\n\n  CPU0 (refill, holds rq_lock)          CPU1 (scrub, no rq_lock)\n  put_niov_uref:\n    atomic_read(uref) - 1\n    // window opens\n                                        atomic_xchg(uref, 0) - 1\n                                        return_niov_freelist(niov) [PUSH #1]\n    // window closes\n    atomic_dec(uref) - wraps to -1\n    returns true\n    return_niov(niov)\n    return_niov_freelist(niov)           [PUSH #2: DOUBLE-FREE]\n\nThe same niov is pushed to the freelist twice, causing free_count to\nexceed nr_iovs. Subsequent freelist pushes then perform an out-of-bounds\nwrite (a u32 value) past the kvmalloc\u0027d freelist array into the adjacent\nslab object.\n\nFix this by replacing the non-atomic read-then-dec in\nio_zcrx_put_niov_uref() with an atomic_try_cmpxchg loop that atomically\ntests and decrements user_refs. This makes the operation safe against\nconcurrent atomic_xchg from scrub without requiring scrub to acquire\nrq_lock.\n\n[pavel: removed a warning and a comment]",
  "id": "GHSA-77p3-mmmp-fjj2",
  "modified": "2026-05-12T21:31:26Z",
  "published": "2026-05-06T12:30:29Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43121"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/003049b1c4fb8aabb93febb7d1e49004f6ad653b"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/485dc691257b96e6d3bdc25b0eff2daadcc5c46c"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a94f096e28bfc7975163a6b80f1c8f323efe317a"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

CVE-2026-43121 (GCVE-0-2026-43121)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-05-06 11:27 – Updated: 2026-05-11 22:18

Title

io_uring/zcrx: fix user_ref race between scrub and refill paths

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: io_uring/zcrx: fix user_ref race between scrub and refill paths The io_zcrx_put_niov_uref() function uses a non-atomic check-then-decrement pattern (atomic_read followed by separate atomic_dec) to manipulate user_refs. This is serialized against other callers by rq_lock, but io_zcrx_scrub() modifies the same counter with atomic_xchg() WITHOUT holding rq_lock. On SMP systems, the following race exists: CPU0 (refill, holds rq_lock) CPU1 (scrub, no rq_lock) put_niov_uref: atomic_read(uref) - 1 // window opens atomic_xchg(uref, 0) - 1 return_niov_freelist(niov) [PUSH #1] // window closes atomic_dec(uref) - wraps to -1 returns true return_niov(niov) return_niov_freelist(niov) [PUSH #2: DOUBLE-FREE] The same niov is pushed to the freelist twice, causing free_count to exceed nr_iovs. Subsequent freelist pushes then perform an out-of-bounds write (a u32 value) past the kvmalloc'd freelist array into the adjacent slab object. Fix this by replacing the non-atomic read-then-dec in io_zcrx_put_niov_uref() with an atomic_try_cmpxchg loop that atomically tests and decrements user_refs. This makes the operation safe against concurrent atomic_xchg from scrub without requiring scrub to acquire rq_lock. [pavel: removed a warning and a comment]

Severity ?

No CVSS data available.

Assigner

Linux

References

3 references

URL	Tags
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a94f096e28bfc7975…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/485dc691257b96e6d…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/003049b1c4fb8aabb…

Impacted products

2 products

Vendor	Product	Version
Linux	Linux	Affected: 34a3e60821ab9f335a58d43a88cccdbefdebdec3 , < a94f096e28bfc7975163a6b80f1c8f323efe317a (git) Affected: 34a3e60821ab9f335a58d43a88cccdbefdebdec3 , < 485dc691257b96e6d3bdc25b0eff2daadcc5c46c (git) Affected: 34a3e60821ab9f335a58d43a88cccdbefdebdec3 , < 003049b1c4fb8aabb93febb7d1e49004f6ad653b (git)
Linux	Linux	Affected: 6.15 Unaffected: 0 , < 6.15 (semver) Unaffected: 6.18.16 , ≤ 6.18.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.19.6 , ≤ 6.19.* (semver) Unaffected: 7.0 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)

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{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "io_uring/zcrx.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "a94f096e28bfc7975163a6b80f1c8f323efe317a",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "34a3e60821ab9f335a58d43a88cccdbefdebdec3",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "485dc691257b96e6d3bdc25b0eff2daadcc5c46c",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "34a3e60821ab9f335a58d43a88cccdbefdebdec3",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "003049b1c4fb8aabb93febb7d1e49004f6ad653b",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "34a3e60821ab9f335a58d43a88cccdbefdebdec3",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
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          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
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          ],
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          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "6.15"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "6.15",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.18.16",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.19.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.19.6",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.0",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.16",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.15",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.19.6",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.15",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.0",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "6.15",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nio_uring/zcrx: fix user_ref race between scrub and refill paths\n\nThe io_zcrx_put_niov_uref() function uses a non-atomic\ncheck-then-decrement pattern (atomic_read followed by separate\natomic_dec) to manipulate user_refs. This is serialized against other\ncallers by rq_lock, but io_zcrx_scrub() modifies the same counter with\natomic_xchg() WITHOUT holding rq_lock.\n\nOn SMP systems, the following race exists:\n\n  CPU0 (refill, holds rq_lock)          CPU1 (scrub, no rq_lock)\n  put_niov_uref:\n    atomic_read(uref) - 1\n    // window opens\n                                        atomic_xchg(uref, 0) - 1\n                                        return_niov_freelist(niov) [PUSH #1]\n    // window closes\n    atomic_dec(uref) - wraps to -1\n    returns true\n    return_niov(niov)\n    return_niov_freelist(niov)           [PUSH #2: DOUBLE-FREE]\n\nThe same niov is pushed to the freelist twice, causing free_count to\nexceed nr_iovs. Subsequent freelist pushes then perform an out-of-bounds\nwrite (a u32 value) past the kvmalloc\u0027d freelist array into the adjacent\nslab object.\n\nFix this by replacing the non-atomic read-then-dec in\nio_zcrx_put_niov_uref() with an atomic_try_cmpxchg loop that atomically\ntests and decrements user_refs. This makes the operation safe against\nconcurrent atomic_xchg from scrub without requiring scrub to acquire\nrq_lock.\n\n[pavel: removed a warning and a comment]"
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-05-11T22:18:09.791Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
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          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/485dc691257b96e6d3bdc25b0eff2daadcc5c46c"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/003049b1c4fb8aabb93febb7d1e49004f6ad653b"
        }
      ],
      "title": "io_uring/zcrx: fix user_ref race between scrub and refill paths",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
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  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-43121",
    "datePublished": "2026-05-06T11:27:08.216Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-05-01T14:12:55.987Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-05-11T22:18:09.791Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

Action not permitted

GHSA-77P3-MMMP-FJJ2

CVE-2026-43121 (GCVE-0-2026-43121)

Tags

Sightings

Nomenclature